Container



April l5, 1930. H M. NICHOLLS CONTAINER Filed May 3l, 1928 INVENTOR 7n.' BY

0. rATTORNE Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY M. NICHOLLS, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. vY., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY CONTAINER Application mea my s1, 192s. semi nu. sensu."

My invention relates in general to sifter top containers and more particularly to selfclosing sifter top containers of the type shown in the pending application of Stanley H. Lindgren, Serial No. 710, 235, filed May 1, 1924, and is an improvement upon the same.

This improvement contemplates the provision of a gasket or liner between the container body and the sifter slide member, which prevents leakage or sifting of the contents of the container except through the si'fter openings upon manipulation of the sifterslide.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a Gasket or liner which not only sto s leakage between itself and the sifter sli e 'with which it contacts but also prevents leakage betweenthe sitter slide and the outer top member by reason of the spring-.like pressure it exerts against the'slide member. This yielding pressure keeps all parts in tightly assembled relation, which is a desirable advantage when filled containers are roughly handled and knocked about in storage and transportion.

A further object of the invention is the rovision of a sifter top gasket or liner nwhich is formed of inexpensive material, which requires a very simple gasket seat or support and which is readily assembled-with the other sifter top parts.

Numerous other objects and advanta es of the invention will be a parent as it is etter understood from the ollowing description, which, taken in 'connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodlment` thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of asifter top can in which my invention is embodied; Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofthe several parts of my sitter top construction, showing these parts in unassembled superposed relationship;A l

Fig.- 3 is' a top lan view, partially broken away for better il ustration of the assembled .sifter top; and l Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section through the assembled sifter top.

The self-closing sifter container shown in 60 the drawings comprises a cylindrical body 11 ber 13 has acircular pouring opening 22.

of metal or fibre having a metal bottom end 12 seamed, crimped, or otherwise permanently secured thereto.

rlhe sifter top construction comprises, in general, an inner top member 13, a gasket 14, a sitter slide 15 andan outer top member 16 (see Fig. 2 where all of these parts are shown in unassembled superposed relationship).

The innertop member 13 has a flange 17 crimped, seamed or otherwise permanently se.- cured to the top edge of the container body 11, a vertical annular wall 18 dis osed within the mouth of the container bo y and substantially parallel with the body Wall, an annular channel or sunken part 19, a central sloping and raised part 20 which terminates in a horizontal annular recess 21, which is adapted to form a seat for the gasket 14. Centrally of said annular recess 21, the inner top mem- The gasket 14, preferably of com ressible fibrous material, such as paper or fe t, is rectangular in cross-section and is of a shape and size permitting it to Atit snugly into the annular recess 2,1 and when lacedl therein it is not easily disturbed. It 1s of such thickness thatit will slightly protrude above the central raised part 20 at the time it is positioned. When assembl is completed the gas ket is compressed and7 presses against the slide 15, in turn pressingthis slide against the to member 16. All 'parts are thus kept in ti t contact and leaka e of the contents v is efectively prevented. l he tight contact between the parts, because of the compressible nature of the gasket, is yielding enough, however, to permit the smooth operation of the si'fter slide 15. The slide 15 is provided with sifter openings 23 and at each side it is depressed at 24 to provide shoulders adapted to contact with two opposite points of the central raised part 2O to guide the slide in its movement and to hold itin desired rel'ation.

The slide 15 vis cut awaytoward the front, as indicated at 425, to permit the necessary movement of the slide and to provide a forward ton ue extension 26 which is turned downwar ly at its end (see Fig. 4) to form Y a' thumb piece or lip 27 for the operation of 100 the slide. At its other or rear end, the slide is slit at the two points 28 and the -mate- -rial 29 between 'these slits is bent downwardly and then slightly curved upwardly to receive and hold the central straight part of a wire sprin 30. This spring 30 has each end angularly ient at 31 to provide forward extensions 32 adapted to be disposed within and adjacent the an ular wall 18 of the inner top member 13. Tiis sprin 30 serves to hold the slide normally in pro]ected or closed position with the sifter perforations in the outer to member 16 out of registration with the r orations in the slide.

e outer top member 16 comprises a circular piece of sheet metal stamping having its central part either flat or slightly domed and provided with sifter openings 33 adapted to register with the sift-er openings 23 land having a marginal flange 34 with a dependin portion 35 crimped over the flange 17 of t e inner member 13. Part of said flange 34 and said depending portion 35 are cut away at 36 to provide guiding clearance for the tongue extension 26 of the slide 15. When all parts have been assembled the sifter openings 23 of the slide 15 and the sifter openings-33 of the outer member 16 are out of registration. `When it is desired to sift the contents, pressure i's exerted upon the thumb-piece 27 and the slide 15 will move inwardly against the force of the spring 30 until the perforations 23 in the slide are brought into registration with the perforations 33 in the outer top'- member 16. Upon releasing the thumb-piece 27 it will be evident that the slide 15 will be automatically projected outwardly and the sifter openings 1. A sifter top for containers, compris# ing an inner top member having a pouring opening, an outer top member having sifter openings, a perforated slide operating be- A tween said members, and a gasket interposed between the inner top member and said slide and adapted to press the slide against the top plate and prevent passage of the contents except through the sifter openings when the slide is manipulated for sifting and to hold said top member and-said slide in tight yielding contact, and means for holding the gasket against sidewise movement with the slide.

v2. VA sifter top for containers, comprising an inner top member having a pouring opening, an outer top member having sifter openings, a perforated slide operating between said members, and a fibrous gasket interposed between the inner top member and said slide and adapted to prevent passage of the contents except through the sifter openings when the slide is manipulated for sifting and to hold said members and said slide in tight yielding contact` and means for holding the gasket against sidewise movement with the slide.

3. A sifter top for containers, comprising an inner top member, an outer top member having sifter openings, a perforated slide located between said members, an annular recess in said inner member, a gasket located in said recess and adapted to prevent passage of the contents except through the sitter openings when the slide is manipulated for sifting and to hold said members and said slide in tight lyielding contact. e

4. sifter top for containers, comprising an inner top member'having an elevated part formed with a pouring opening, an outer top member having sifter openings, a perforated slide and a gasket interposed. between the said top members, said gasket being adapted to prevent assage of the contents except through the sitter openings when the slide is manipulated for sifting and to hold said members and said slide in tight yielding contact, and means for holding the gasket against sidewise movement with the slide.

5. A self-closing sifter top for containers,

hold said members and said slide in a tight yielding contact, and a spring means connected with said slide and adapted to yieldingly hold the same in closed position.

HENRY M. NICHOLLS. v 

